Former UPD Chief Chris Dewey returns to Mendocino County – The Mendocino Beacon

Former Ukiah Police Chief Chris Dewey (left) is now interim Willits Police Chief. (Article)

After a brief but popular stint as a farmer in Missouri, former Ukiah Police Chief Chris Dewey returned to Mendocino County this year, where he now serves as interim chief of the Willits Police Department.

“We bought a farm in Missouri and loved it, but we missed our grandchildren too much,” Dewey said, explaining that the children’s father, his son Jon Dewey, is now principal of Pomolita Middle School and had no plans to move closer to Missouri any time soon. “So we sold the farm and moved back, which was great. We missed so much about the area, not just our family.”

While planning his move back to California, Dewey received a call from the previous interim chief of the WPD and he agreed to consider taking the job.

“I am incredibly excited about the opportunity to work with this department,” Dewey said, acknowledging that while the department “has had some challenges recently, they are working hard to find and train new officers.”

One former police officer who made headlines in recent years and has since been fired was Lieutenant Derek Hendry, who is named in a lawsuit filed by another former WPD officer, Natalie Higley.

Last month, the law firm representing Higley announced it had received $2.5 million in compensation on her behalf. She filed a lawsuit last year alleging that Hendry’s sexual advances and retaliatory behavior created a hostile work environment that his superiors failed to “take all reasonable steps” to address.

Interim Chief Dewey said this week that the WPD is currently conducting background checks on candidates and that he expects a permanent chief to be chosen soon.

Dewey retired from the UPD six years ago in the summer of 2018, but did not sit idle and quickly returned to work for the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office, where he began his career as a correctional officer.

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